The Chamber of Nightmares
by FantasYAnDMadnesS
Summary: The 'Big Four' goes to Hogwarts, ready for their fifth year themselves for the world of Magic when something goes wrong inside the school and it may be entirely up to them to figure it out and more, to stop whatever tricks the shadows are trying to do. But can they do what's right, protect the school and save lives? Or will they fail? Rate T to be safe...
1. Reunion and the Train Incident

**~*~ Hello guys! Still head over heels with the 'Big Four…' I'm trying to write a fanfiction that's as successful as the one who wrote "A Hogwarts Story" so I'm trying the best I can… Mericcup and Jackunzel here too! **

**~*~ Jack's sister is included here and I made her look a lot like Jack (except the clothing) with a short brown skirt, blue hoodie with frost, long white hair and crystal blue eyes. **

**~*~ The fanfic is like a slight 'remake' of Harry Potter 2 Chamber of Secrets with my 'Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons' twist. The Big Four are fifth years and Jack's sister is in first year. The 'Big Four' are already friends in this fic.**

**~*~ I do NOT own "Rise of the Guardians" "Brave" "Tangled" and "How to Train Your Dragon"**

**~*~ Summary: The 'Big Four' goes to Hogwarts, ready for their fifth year themselves for the world of Magic when something goes wrong inside the school and it may be entirely up to them to figure it out and more, to stop whatever tricks the shadows are trying to do. But can they do what's right, protect the school and save lives? Or will they fail?**

**~*~ Chapter 1 ~*~**

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL__  
__of__WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY___

_Headmaster:__St. Nicholas North__  
__(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,__  
__Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)___

_Dear Ms. Frost,___

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.__  
__Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.___

_Yours sincerely,__  
Sanderson ManSnoozie  
__Deputy Headmaster_

"Jack! Jack!" Emma Frost raced down the halls of their little cottage by the frozen lake in Burgess. Her white hair streamed behind her and her blue eyes twinkled with excitement.

"Jack, you have to see this!" she cried, waving a piece of parchment in her hand. A big smile was plastered on her face like a kid ready to open up her gifts after a party.

Her brother, the one and only, Jack Frost, whirled around and let out a small chuckle. He had been re-reading a letter from his best friend, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock.

"Alright! Alright!" he bent down as she approached him excitedly. "What's that?" he asked, settling his crooked staff on his shoulder.

Emma handed him the paper. "It's my Hogwarts letter!" she said, jumping up and down. Jack skimmed the writing and nodded, pleased.

"That's great! You really are my sister" he joked, which in return, Emma gave him a soft punch on the shoulder. She giggled. The giggled turned to laughter that they both shared.

Emma took the letter and pointed to a bottom part.

'Ah, great. The requirement page' Jack thought with a smirk.

"Jack, it says:

Uniform  
First-year students will require:  
sets of plain work robes (black)  
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT  
1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

Emma thought for a moment. "Where can we get all these?" she asked, thinking.

Jack grinned. "There's only one place… if you know where to find it" he said.

"And where's that?" Emma inquired, her brain racking itself for an answer.

Jack grinned mischievously, as if remembering something funny. "Diagon Alley"

Emma looked up at her brother with puppy eyes. "Jack, today's the 29th" she informed him. "The letter says they'll wait for a reply no later than 31st!" she said. "I can go, right? That way we'd be in the same school?" Emma asked hopefully.

Jack ruffled his sister's hair. "Of course you can. Go on and write the letter" he replied, with a tweak on her nose.

Emma wrapped him in a hug. "Thanks Jack!" she jumped back to her feet and ran to her room, grabbing a pen and a piece of parchment.

In minutes, she was waving an owl away with her letter. "That was fast" Jack commented. Emma beamed at him.

"Can we go to Diagon Alley now?" she asked. Jack laughed again, slinging his staff on his shoulder.

"Alright. But we won't go straight to Hogwarts after, alright?" Jack stated.

"I know that" Emma pouted. "I used to come with you to the station" she pointed out.

"Come on then" Jack said, pulling Emma's hand gently as she skipped to keep up with him.

"Rapunzel! I can see the books here!" Hiccup Haddock waved his arms frantically as a blond girl and a redhead turned to face him.

"Well done, ye wee lad!" the redhead, Merida DunBroch gave him a thumbs up.

"And a good thing too. We've been looking for hours!" the blond girl, Rapunzel Gothel, groaned. "My neck's been strained, craning it up for the top shelves!" she whined.

"Ah, stop up yer whinin' Punz. All tha' matters is tha' Hic's found it!" Merida jogged to where Hiccup stood and pulled out four copies of the 'Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5)' by Miranda Goshawk and 'Defensive Magical Theory' by Wilbert Slinkhard.

"Where's Jack anyway?" Rapunzel asked, looking for their snow-white-haired friend. "I haven't seen him since our summer breaks" she muttered.

"I sent him an owl" Hiccup offered, pulling out a copy from Merida's grasp to help her.

"Still, tha' boy's raerely ever laete!" Merida said in her thick Scottish accent. "Since fers' year, he's naever been late" she observed.

"He'll be here" Hiccup said, handing a copy of the 'Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5)' by Miranda Goshawk to Rapunzel.

Jack guided his sister over a large textbook shop. "Here, you can get your textbooks" he said, running his hands on the spines of the books until he found what he was looking for. He handed his sister a copy of the 'Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)' by Miranda Goshawk.

"We've got a lot to buy. Good thing North left you some galleons before he left and went back to his beloved school" Jack elbowed Emma gently.

Busy with looking for books, Jack was lost in his thoughts when someone yanked down his head in a head-lock and ruffled his hair.

"Oi, Jack. Where've ya been? Dint'cha get Hic's letter?" Merida chortled as she let go. Turns out, she was the one behind him.

Jack laughed. "I got the letter alright" he said, rearranging his hair.

"You've been running late" Hiccup came from behind a shelf. "How's it going, Jack?" he asked, slapping a high-five with the albino-haired teen.

"Good. You?" Jack gestured to Hiccup's form.

"Haven't changed a bit" Hiccup said with a toothy grin.

"You didn't change much too, over the last five years" Rapunzel shifted her long, thick golden braid to one side.

"Punzie! Haven't seen you in weeks!" Jack gave her a playful salute.

"I didn't feel like getting out much during the summer" Rapunzel replied.

Emma slightly tugged at Jack's sleeve. She eyed the chameleon on Rapunzel's shoulder, the small black dragon on Hiccup's arm and Merida's bow and sheath of arrows, fearfully.

Jack realized he'd almost forgotten about her.

"Guys, this is my sister, Emma" he pulled out for them to see. "She just got her letter" Jack said.

Merida snickered and patted Jack's shoulder. "Bein' a good big brother, ain't ya, Frostie?" she grinned. She turned to Emma.

"Nice to meet'cha. Ah'm Merida. Merida DunBroch" she said, running a hand on her wild mop of carroty curls.

"I'm Rapunzel" Rapunzel gave her a slight bow. "And this is Hiccup" she gestured to the scrawny boy who gave a curt nod.

"Here ya go!" Merida slammed two thick books on Jack's hands. "We got the copies fer yer books. You two still hangin' around?" she asked.

"Looks like they've been here already for a while" Rapunzel said, while helping Emma with her folded uniforms and packages. While reaching out for a small box of glass phials, she noticed a miniature figure of Jack's staff, glowing blue stuck in the girl's hoodie. Rapunzel shrugged and dismissed the thought.

"Yeah. First years" Jack patted a book on his hand.

Emma paid for her books and Jack helped her carry them. On the way out, they headed home, beginning to ready themselves for a new school year.

**At the Train Station**

"All things in your trunk, Rapunzel dear?" Mother Gothel asked.

"Yes mum. Everything" Rapunzel pecked her mum on the cheek and pushed her cart in the middle of platforms 9 and 10. Emma watched intently as Rapunzel went through the wall.

"Merida, make sure ta write ta us, lass" Fergus DunBroch called after his daughter.

"Dad, I'm not a fers' year anymore" Merida muttered, running to the platform.

"Let's go Toothless" Hiccup whispered to his dragon as he pushed his cart and zoomed on the platform.

Emma's eyes widened, knowing it was her turn. She turned to Jack, her blue eyes fearful.

"Just give it a run if you're nervous" Jack said, his staff leaning on his cart.

Emma drew her breath and ran. Her body slipped through the corridor. Looking back, there was a solid wall.

"Awesome" she breathed.

Jack came in behind her, walking casually. "Let's get our stuff boarded" he steered his sister to the small cabins and flopped down on an empty one.

Soon after, Rapunzel peeked through the door. "Hey Jack!" she said, sitting opposite of him and his sister. Her chameleon, Pascal, gave a cheerful squeak. Hiccup came in and was followed by Merida.

"Yer early" Merida told Jack.

"This time, no tardier stuff" Jack said, wrapping a protective arm around Emma who slid her head on his shoulder.

The engines started to rumble and the horns flared. Whistles sounded and the wheels moved. They were actually going to Hogwarts!

"So, what'cha think?" Merida looked around to see no one else and pulled out a Nimbus 2000 from under her seat.

Hiccup's eyes widened. "A Nimbus! Where'd you get it?" he asked, staring at the broomstick.

Merida grinned proudly. "Me dad gaeve it ta me" she replied, twirling it in her hand.

"Aw, and I thought my broom would be faster" Rapunzel giggled. "Mother got me a Moontrimmer" she shrugged.

"Those are super rare!" Merida exclaimed. "They said so. My mum insisted it instead of a Comet 260" Rapunzel said.

"How come you guys have a lot of money to buy new brooms?" Hiccup crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm still stuck on my Cleansweep Eleven" he scowled slightly and brightened up back again. He turned to Jack.

"You're lucky you're still the fastest one around, with your Firebolt" he said.

"More like 'Frostbolt'" Merida snickered.

Jack shrugged. "Just got lucky. But I'm not gonna use it that much, though" he shrugged.

"Canna 'ave it?" Merida asked with puppy eyes.

"I was giving it to my sis" Jack smirked at Merida's scowl.

"First years can't have our own brooms" Emma protested.

"I'll wait 'till your second year" Jack replied.

"No faeir*! (*Fair) Merida pouted. "She's too young ta be ridin' a Friebolt" she protested.

"You're just jealous" Rapunzel giggled.

"Ah'm not!" Merida crossed her arms over her chest.

Hiccup cleared his throat. "I heard you're trying out for the Quidditch team" he said, looking at Merida. She puffed her chest proudly.

"Ah'm goin'. But I hope there's still place fer a bloody beater this year" she muttered.

"I hear beaters handle the Bludgers" Emma said softly. Rapunzel nodded.

"And they're the ones in the hospital wing all the time during the games" Emma said with a mocking smirk at Merida.

"Ah'm ready ta take their risks" she countered. Emma snickered and Jack elbowed her arm softly.

Rapunzel giggled. "Are you?" she demanded.

"Ah am!" Merida answered.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah!"

Hiccup sank in his seat. This trip was taking longer than usual to him. To him. Toothless napped on his shoulder. The others were talking about stuff he didn't really pay much attention to.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on and off. Students gasped in fear and awe. This had never happened before.

They were passing through a long, dark tunnel. As the train entered the darkness, the lights went out.

"Wands out" Jack whispered.

"_Lumos" _Rapunzel whispered. The tip of her wand glowed bright blue.

"Hic? Punzie? Jack?" Merida hissed.

"Where are you guys? I can't see my hand in front of my face in this dark" Rapunzel clawed at the air, searching blindly when she grabbed something hairy.

"Ow!" Merida yelped, yanking her hair from Rapunzel's blind grasp.

"What happened?" Hiccup asked, raising his voice so the others could hear him over the loud buzzing of the other students. "Where's Jack?" Hiccup waved a hand in front of himself.

"Here!" came a recognizable voice. Then came a soft whimper.

Rapunzel shone her wand on Jack who was gripping his staff tightly in a corner. Emma drew her staff that was glowing blue and whispered softly: _Lumos._

Her staff glowed brightly. "What's happening?" Jack asked, his own staff glowing bright blue. The others were used to it, knowing Jack specializes in Freeze Charms and Spells and his staff glows blue every time he wants to cast a spell.

There was a loud screech. The piercing cry rang out in the tight cabin. No, scratch that, the whole train. It was shaking at the sound of the screech, the students crying out loud and clapping their hands over their ears.

"What in Mor'du's name is goin' on?" Merida demanded, yelling over the noise of the students.

Rapunzel dropped herself on the ground and curled up in a ball, hoping it would help cease the piercing cry.

Hiccup buried his head in his knees, crying out loud.

The cry continued sounding like nails on a chalkboard. Jack gritted his teeth, blood pounded in his head.

Just then, a shadow passed by, quickly but Jack could see it glide over the groaning and crying students. Immediately, he pointed his staff at it.

"_Glacius!"_ Jack yelled. A jet of light shot away from his staff and past the students but the shadow was quick enough to dodge.

"_Reducto!" _Jack shot another jet of light and it grazed the shadows black tattered robes. It let out a pained screech and shot out of the window, shattering glass and breaking frames.

Slowly, the students recovered and sank back into their compartment.

"Hey, you guys alright?" Jack asked, putting a gentle hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and nodded.

"Oomph!" Merida swung herself up on the compartment seat and ran a hand on her messy curls.

"That was a Death Eater" Hiccup panted, sliding back in his seat.

"Death Eaters?" Rapunzel echoed. "Weren't they banned from the Wizarding world ever since You-Know-Who died?" she asked, turning to Hiccup. The boy shrugged.

"Is everyone a'righ'?" Merida asked. Jack muttered a yes, kneeling before Emma, checking her for scratches and wounds.

"I'm fine, Jack" Emma brushed her brother's hand off. "You don't have to worry" she said with a big, toothy grin.

Rapunzel peered out the window. "Looks like we're going to hear from the headmaster about this" she murmured.

"Look 'ere Emma!" Merida beckoned. Emma hurried to Merida's side and peered out the window.

"Welcome ta Hogwarts'" Merida said with a grin. She chortled when Emma's blue eyes widened with awe.

"THAT'S Hogwarts?" she breathed, blinking her eyes rapidly.

"Aye. Big isn't it?" Hiccup said.

"It's gigantic!" Emma squealed in delight. Jack smirked. Emma slid back to her seat, her eyes glued to the view.

"I hope you get sorted in Gryffindor too" Rapunzel said.

"Sorted?" Emma echoed, puzzled look on her face.

"Yeah. They sort you into the four houses before the feast" Rapunzel informed her. "And I hope you get in Gryffindor like us" she proudly patted her badge on her robe.

"How do you get sorted?" Emma asked. But she was ignored as Bunnymund, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds, as well as the Care for the Magical Creatures professor, called the students off.

"Fers' years here! Fers' years, come on, mates!" he called, his loud Australian accent booming over the crowd.

"Alright, only four to a boat! Fers' years!" Bunny called, waving a lamp in his hand.

"I'll find you later at the hall, alright?" Jack took out his Firebolt from under his robes. "I'll see you in the Great Hall. But before that, stay in a group and do whatever the Kangaroo tells you to do, 'kay?" Jack mounted his broom, staff in his other hand.

Emma nodded and watched him fly off. Jack raced in the wind, followed by Hiccup and then Merida and Rapunzel. She turned her attention to the boats and hopped on the one with Prof. Bunny on it. Slowly, they rowed their way to the Hogwarts gates.

A beautiful teacher, dressed in turquoise robes fluttered gracefully to meet the first years. Her purple eyes shone under the candlelit halls. On her back were two beautiful wings that hummed like a hummingbird.

"Thanks Bunny. I'll take them form here" she bowed low and Bunny gave a curt nod.

"Fers' years, this is Professor Toothiana. We call her Tooth, fer short and she'll be your Transfiguaration teacher, bein' an Animagus 'erself" Bunny informed.

"Bunny, I can take it from here" Tooth said, gesturing for the first years to follow her.

They walked through a long, torch-lit hall, their shoes clanking on the stone floor. The paintings greeted them, the few of the students, gasped in amazement.

They came to stop in front of a wooden door. It was large and it towered above all of the students. They marveled at the exquisite designs carved on the door. Tooth was; of course, ready to snap them out of trance as she cleared her throat.

"Now, before you enter these walls and join your classmates, you must first be sorted into your houses" she chirped. The group buzzed with excitement. Emma licked her cracking lips.

"The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin" Tooth informed them, a hush falling over the group.

"Now, while you're here, your house will be like your family. Rules followed will earn you points. Any rule-breaking and you will lose points. By the end of the year, the house with the most points shall be awarded the house cup" she clapped her hands to claim the fewer students' attention.

"I'll be back in a moment" she bowed lightly and fluttered away from them. As soon as she was out of sight, a group of seventh years wearing green ties slipped in the hall.

"Well, well" a boy with pale yellow hair chuckled. "A new batch is here" he grinned wickedly. In the crowd, one of the first years caught his attention; a girl with snow-white hair.

He walked towards her, hands in his pockets and the first years moved aside, creating a path for him. Emma didn't move. This won't end well and she could feel it.

"You" the boy placed a hand roughly on her shoulder. "You must be a Frost, eh?" he asked, sarcasm glinting on his tone that made Emma's spine crawl.

"You've got a problem with that?" she demanded, not making any eye contact with the seventh year. He laughed, mockingly, making Emma's hidden staff glow a soft blue.

"You see, Frost people aren't very good with us" the boy said, holding out his hand. "But we can change that and I can help you" he said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy" he said, still holding out his hand to Emma.

She looked at the hand and up to Malfoy. "I like who I am just the way it is, thanks anyway" she tucked her hands in her robe pockets. Malfoy looked disappointed. He shrugged and turned to his friends.

"Suit yourself, Frost" she spat the name with disgust. Emma clenched her fists. Her staff glowed blue a deep cerulean blue. Snow began to fall. Malfoy looked at her and noticed the staff.

"Oh, she's a Frost alright" he snickered. Frustrated, Emma drew her staff.

"What is your PROBLEM?" she almost yelled, pointing his staff at Malfoy. "How dare you insult us?" she demanded. "Who are you to say that?" she was yelling now.

Malfoy just laughed.

"_Glacius!_" Emma fired a jet of blue light at the ground, causing Malfoy to slip and land on his bottoms. He grunted and ran off into the corridors. Emma tucked her staff back into her coat and in the next second, Tooth came back, waving a little scroll in her hands.

"We're ready for you now. Come on" she flicked her wand at the doors and they magically swung open, revealing the Great Hall.


	2. Discovery

**~*~ Thanks you guys for reading this sloppy fic. I really worked my tail off for this one and I really hope you like it.**

**~*~ I do NOT own "Rise of the Guardians" "Brave" "Tangled" and "How to Train Your Dragon"**

**~*~ Chapter 2 ~*~**

Tooth led the students to a large room, lined with four, what seemed to be endless, tables and there sat students, from second to seventh years, watching the newbies enter the hall. The ceiling was magicked to make it look like the night sky. Floating candles hung about in hundreds on the ceilings.

The first years gasped in awe at the sight. Emma's eyes searched frantically for Jack. Her eyes travelled from left to right then back, darting here and there, looking for any sign of him.

She spotted him, watching her eagerly, sending a small snowflake to circle her. She giggled, barely audible and he gave her a curt nod before turning to Tooth.

Emma looked at the teacher who was standing before them. In her hand was the open scroll.

"Now, when I call your name, come forth and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head" she patted a dusty black hat on a small stool. "And you will be sorted into your houses" she smiled warmly as she glanced at the scroll.

_Jane Darling_

A girl with short brown hair walked over to the chair and sat down. The hat opened up and began to speak, much to Emma and the others' bewilderment. After a moment it cried: _Hufflepuff_

_Alice Kingsley_

A girl with long bouncy blonde hair stepped up to the stool and put the hat on. It pondered for a moment and finally yelled: _Ravenclaw_

_Emma Frost_

Emma slightly cringed at the sound of her name. She took small and silent steps towards the stool and fidgeted as Tooth placed the hat on her head.

_Another Frost. _The hat muttered. _Brave. But mischievous. Fighting for what's right, eh? Not a bad mind either. Clever but gentle. Where to put you? _The hat looked around for a moment.

"Gryffindor, please Gryffindor" Emma pleaded in a whisper.

_Gryffindor? I was planning to put you in Slytherin. Your brother asked me the same thing. However, you would do much better there, a gentle girl like you. But no, you asked me too, like Jack did five years ago. Well then…_

Emma pleaded in her head to put her in Gryffindor. At least there, she'd be with some friends.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled and those at Jack's row of tables cheered and clapped their hands. Emma breathed a sigh of relief and placed the hat gently back on the stool.

"Thank you" she whispered to it but it remained silent.

Emma made her way towards the fifth years' table and found Jack beckoning her to sit with him. Rapunzel gave her a toothy grin and Merida slapped high-fives with her. Hiccup gave her a 'thumbs up'. The snowflake circling Emma disappeared.

"I knew it!" Rapunzel clapped her hands loudly.

"Great ta see yer in one piece" Merida said.

Time passed, they were talking. Talking, talking and even Hiccup joined the conversation. They snapped to attention when the headmaster, North stood up to a golden owl pedestal and placed the tip of his wand on the side of his throat.

A male professor with golden hair tapped his spoon on his glass and a hush blanketed the hall.

"Before we eat, I'd like to say a few words" North said.

"Told'ya we'd be hearin' 'bout the train thing in 'ere" Merida hissed.

"I've heard about the incident on 'zhe train a while back" North boomed. "And I thank 'zhe heavens no body is hurt" he said. "While you're here, I strongly recommend caution to all" he said. "Also, we have a special visitor, Ms. Glaze. She will be staying here for a while and help us out" he gestured to his right but it was hard to spot who was he talking about.

"Now, enough worries! Let the feast begin!" his loud voice boomed as a signal and food sprang up from every side of each table. The delicacies were even more than any other rich kid would wish for.

Merida turned to her companions. She had been eyeing a pale blonde-haired boy from the Slytherin table. His cold blue eyes followed hers like a snake ready to bite.

"How long've tha' guy's been starin' at us?" she asked in a low voice.

"Who?" Punzie looked over Merida's back and caught sight of the boy's blue eyes.

"That's Scorpius" an older boy said from behind Hiccup.

"Al!" Hiccup exclaimed.

Albus Severus Potter, the seventh year Gryffindor, patted Hiccup's shoulder. "Don't mind him. He's a Malfoy" he said.

"We know" Emma muttered through gritted teeth.

"What's that?" Jack nudged his sister by the shoulder.

"Nothing. Nothing" Emma replied, her eyes trailing off to the food on the table. Merida shrugged.

"C'mon! We gotta eat b'fore the teachers clean it up!" she shoved a side of the chicken leg into her mouth. Rapunzel handed a slice of orange to her chameleon to Pascal, the lizard imitating the color.

"Save your colors, Pascal" Rapunzel giggled.

Hiccup patted Jack's shoulder lightly. "Jack, who's that girl sitting next to Professor Bunnymund?" he whispered.

Jack turned to look at the person. It was a young girl, probably just second year and she was casually chatting with the other teachers. Jack squinted his eyes.

"Dunno" he shrugged.

"She's Valencia (pronounced as va-lEEn-shi-a) Glaze. She's an ex-auror like late Professor Alastor Moody" Rapunzel said, her eyes glued to a book entitled: 'The Battle of Hogwarts'

"Well, what is she doin' 'ere? An ex-auror? Tha' means she's a potions freak" Merida scoffed. Rapunzel shrugged.

"Now, you gotta know where to go in this castle" Hiccup informed Emma. "It's pretty nasty and mind the staircases. They like to change" he said, gesturing to a few upper staircases where they spiralled from one platform to another.

"Oh, puh-lease! She's a Frost fer Pete's saeke* (*Sake)" Merida scoffed.

The group was slowly making their way into the dormitories. "Classes start again tomorrow, eh?" Rapunzel murmured. Pascal chirped excitedly.

Jack let out a groan. "Can't we skip class and have some fun? I'll be doomed to enter another class of Charms with _them_ following me around" he jabbed his thumb at a group of girl who were dreamily sighing and looking at him.

Jack smiled warmly at they and gave a quick wave. One of the girl in the group almost fainted.

"You don't say?" Hiccup elbowed Jack. "_You _have a lot of admirers. Let _them _do your homework for a change" he moaned.

Jack laughed and patted Hiccup's shoulder. "Hang in there, bro. You know I can't do that" Jack said.

"And why not?" Hiccup demanded, giving Jack a playful punch on the shoulder.

"I'll be failing all of my subjects then" Jack laughed, twirling his frosted staff.

Rapunzel eyed someone behind her back. "I think we're being followed" she mumbled.

"Hm?" Jack stopped and looked back. "There's no one there, Punz" he said.

"Yer must be tired, eh ya wee lass?" Merida hooked her arm around Rapunzel's.

"We'd better head back to the dormitories" Hiccup muttered, checking his pocketwatch.

"I agree. I'm exhausted" Rapunzel yawned, sleepily.

Suddenly, a disturbing prescence passed behind Jack. He quickly spun around. The presence hovered for a split second then vanished. Rapunzel stopped and turned back to Jack.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, concerned.

Jack squinted, his eyes darting rapidly from left to right. "Yeah. I just thought I saw someone back there" Jack muttered.

Emma gripped his hand. "Jack, look!" she hissed, her little finger sliding out in the open as she pointed to a far behind shadow behind them.

Jack gripped his staff and it began to glow blue.

"It's almost 8" Hiccup hissed, catching Jack's arm. "We'll get into detention again if any professor finds us out here" he said, his voice shaky.

Rapunzel gasped as something liquid touched her bare feet. Jack spun around in alert.

"You a'righ'?" Merida asked.

"Yeah. Look here" Rapunzel bent down and ran her fingers over the liquid.

"It's water" Hiccup bent down, wand out. "_Revelio"_ he waved his glowing wand. The water showed nothing. Just ordinary water and it sems to be coming from the prefects' bathroom.

"What's goin' on 'ere?" Merida demanded.

"JACK!" Hiccup grabbed Jack's arm. "We'll get into trouble!" he shrieked. Jack turned to him, his staff glowing bright blue.

"We'll tell the professors tomo-"

There was a loud crash. Emma's staff began to glow too.

"What was that?" Emma asked, nervousness rising up in her voice like a snake.

"Okay, I gotta tell you, we have to get out of here" Hiccup muttered. But Emma had already been walking cautiously towards the water source.

"Emma! Wait!" Rapunzel ran, her long golden hair trailing behind her.

"Oi! Don' go an'where withou' me!" Merida followed, her feet splashing on the ankle-deep water.

"We got no choice, Hic" Jack turned to Hiccup, his blue eyes suddenly serious.

"Let's go then" Hiccup groaned.

They ran towards the bathroom. They were focused on finding out what it was when Emma stopped, dead in her tracks.

"Emma, what is-" Rapunzel never got to finish her sentence when she gasped and saw what Emma was seeing.

There was a reflection of red liquid on their feet. It spelled out some symbols that looked like letters.

Merida stopped short and gasped when she saw the wall. She pointed to it with shaky fingers.

On the walls were written clumsily in blood was the words:

_You can't seal it forever. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened again. Enemies of the heir, beware._

Emma gasped, taking a few steps back and bumping lightly into Jack. He gripped his staff and wrapped Emma in a half-hug in with his other arm.

There was a loud clanking of boots coming from the east corridor.

"Oh, no. We're doomed" Hiccup groaned, Toothless hiding in the hood of his cloak.

The group of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors came up from the corridor and stopped when they saw the writings. Next came in the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs. From the Slytherin group, a boy with pale blond hair stepped up.

Malfoy.

"Enemies of the heir, beware?" he said in mockery. He shot a glare at both Jack and Emma. "You'll be next, mudbloods" he said.

Suddenly, a panicked Professor Tooth came, fluttering in the hall. She gasped as she saw the writing. Next came in Professor North followed by the rest of the staff.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tooth fumbled with her turquoise robes in nervousness.

"All prefects, lead your houses back to the dormitores" North commanded. The prefects followed the order, shushing the students and shoving them back to the common rooms. Rapunzel, Jack, Hiccup and Merida tuned and were ready to leave when North's booming voice stopped them.

"You five. Come here" he gestured.

Jack turned casually, Emma gripping his hand tightly.

"Yes, professor?" Hiccup said softly.

Valencia Glaze eyed them all and spoke up.

"I'll handle them from here, Professor North" she said. "We need to have a little chat in my office. In the meantime, I think it best to check the writings again, just to be sure this isn't another of a student's prank" she nodded.

"Straenge fer a secun' year girl ta be handlin' the Headmast'r" Merida whispered to Rapunzel.

"Someone had to shut him up" the other girl replied with a smirk.

"You five, follow me" Valencia nodded and with a swish of her black robes, walked down the hall. The five had no choice to follow her.

"Sorry for the undecent introduction" Valencia said. "I'm your new potions master, Valencia Glaze" she said, cheerfully, as if she knew the things going on and she knew perfectly how to stop them.

"Yer? But yer a secun' year!" Merida exclaimed, her eyes widening at the sight of the youngest teacher in the century.

"Yes. I fought at the battle of Hogwarts back then and I was late Professor Severus Snape's apprentice. I know all about potions, being an auror before" Valencia explained.

"Uh-huh. But professor, I was wondering-" Rapunzel's sentence was cut by Valencia.

"No professor. Just call me Val" she replied with a slight chuckle.

She pulled open a heavy wooden door and gestured for the others to get inside. Jack raised an eyebrow and began examining the room, casually slinging his staff on his shoulder.

Once they were all inside, Valencia snapped her fingers and the door went shut with a slam. Rapunzel and Merida jumped in surprise.

Valencia, suddenly turning serious, began to storm towards Jack and pinned him to a wall, her arm pressing against his pale neck.

"Jack!" Emma cried but were held back by a sort of force-field jinx. Valencia kicked Jack's staff out of his reach.

"What did you see? Before you saw the writing, what happened before you went to the bathroom?" she demanded in a low whisper.

"Oi! Get offa 'im!" Merida aimed an arrow at Valencia's head and fired straight. The arrow flew but when it was inches away from the target, it stopped, turned around and zoomed towards Merida. She shrieked and jumped back, the arrow barely missing her fiery curls.

Jack clawed at Valencia, she loosened her grip and exhaled loudly.

"I'm sorry. It's just..." she groaned and sunk into a furry chair behind her desk.

Emma ran to Jack, clutching his sleeve tightly. He patted her back assuring he was alright.

"Val, is there any chance you know what's going on? The writing... does it mean something to you?" Hiccup questioned, his eyes big.

Val rubbed the nape of her neck. "Actually, it does" she said in a whisper. She flicked her wrists and the doors swung open. Down the long, long corridor was the prefects bathroom. She flicked her wrosts again and the doors slammed shut.

"This is no ordinary prank" she said, her voice serious. That's when they noticed the dark ring around her eyes and the weariness in her face.

"It's been years. Fifty if I counted right" she said, standing up and looking through a group of shiny glass vials and worn out books neatly stacked on a sturdy wooden shelf.

"I heard the story from my late master, Professor Severus Snape" she said, retrieving a little black book from the shelf. The covers were worn and slight pages jutted out from the jaws of the book.

"Late Professor Dumbledore experienced this thing twice. And now, it's come again" she said, flipping through the pages and settling down on the chair.

"Have any of you heard of this?" she turned the book to face the five. They peered closely, at the page she had indicated and Rapunzel read it out loud.

"_...Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts'. He believed that magic could only be attained by those pure of blood, those with magic families."_

"Pure-bloods?" Hiccup murmured. "Three guesses who" Merida chortled softly.

"_...It was told, that Slytheri built a secret chamber within the castle. Before he left, he sealed it. And when his true and rightful heir returned to Hogwarts', he may be the only one to open it and unleash the horror within."_

Rapunzel blinked as she turned the page. "It's torn" she said. Valencia nodded.

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named _was _the heir of Slytherin and managed to open the chamber by means of a dark magic-"

There was another loud crash outside.

_Kill. It's time to kill._

The words echoed in Jack's ears like a faint whisper. It sounded like a slithering snake, writhing and snaking down his spine.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, his blue eyes darting here and there, looking for the source of the disturbing whisper.

"Hear what?" Emma asked, her voice fearful.

"The voice. The whisper" Jack replied.

"There's nobody whispering, Jack" Rapunzel looked back, concerned and sccared.

"What did it say?" Valencia asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It said 'It's time to kill' I don't know what it was or who but..." Jack looked at Valencia. "You do, don't you?"

Valencia drew her wand. _"Serpensortia!"_ from her wand erupted a snake. It was black and it hissed around, flicking the long tongue in and out.

Merida and Rapunzel screamed and scrambled up the highest chairs the could find. Hiccup and Emma backed up against a wall. Jack, however, stayed behind.

Jack was in some sort of trance. "Jack!" Emma screamed but he drowned out the sound.

He looked at the snake and muttered something. The snake seemed to understand and slithered over at Emma. Its tongue brushed her legs. She screeamed and backed up, pressing her back against the wall. It was starting to hurt.

Jack sort of noticed and muttered another sentence in a language they couldn't understand. His voice seemed to say: _Stop it or you'll be sorry._ The snake turned away from Emma. She sighed in relief. She loosened herself from the wall and slid to the ground.

Suddenly, Jack snapped out of trance and blinked a couple of times. The snake coiled at Valencia's feet and she muttered something in the language Jack had used. The snake seemed to understand and slithered up her legs, waist and came out at her sleeve, hissing.

"Whoa" Rapunzel slowly came down from the chair, followed by Merida.

"Hey, little guy" Valencia spoke in Common and everyone understood. She tickled the snake's chin. It hissed softly, much like a purr.

"I'm going to call you... Nagini, just like the Horcrux" she cooed and settle the snake on her desk. Her last words were barely audible.

"Now, we get to the point" she glared at Jack who took a step back. Rapunzel looked over at Jack.

"There _is_ a Chamber of Secrets and it has been opened before" Valencia said.

"What lies inside, I'm afraid I can't tell you. I'm not the one who's supposed to tell you. But let me tell you this, the voices you're hearing, they're of a mythical beast, raised by Slytherin's heir and placed in the chamber. It can venture farther than the depths of the chamber when it is open and it can freely do as it is ordered. It does what his master tells it to and right now..." Valencia paused, snapped her fingers and a book came flying towards her.

"It's not good. I've experienced this once. It isn't fun. In this game, muggle-borns die!" she slammed the book on her desk.

"Whatever you do, be careful!" she said, her voice raspy. She looked down.

"Hang on. You said you experienced this thing once" Hiccup said. Tears pooled around Valencia's green eyes.

"My little brother. He died, years ago just before the Battle. And it was because of the heir and his monster. He was soon taken care of by Harry" she said, dashing her tears, reliving the bittersweet memory.

"Years ago? Then how come you're still a child, looking like now?" Hiccup asked.

"Elixir of Life, makes the drinker immortal. I had to be ready" Valencia replied curtly.

"But, Jack and Emma! They're Muggle-borns!" Rapunzel piped up. "You don't mean they'll be targets of the..."

"All of you. I advise you to be careful. Any sign of unwanted movement, close your eyes!" she ordered.

"A'righ' then!" Merida picked herself up.

"The prefects and students will be wondering about what you did. Don't say a word about this meeting or what I said to you about the terror inside the chamber or I'll have your heads for a cauldron-full of draughts" Valencia said, waving them off.

"Be careful!" she called after them. Right after they got out of the room, did the doors slam, firmly shut.

"That was mind-blowing" Jack snickered.

"And you're still casual about it?" Hiccup asked. "Man, you're one happy fellow" he said, laughing.


	3. Assignments

**~*~ Phew! Decided to write this since I'm a little too inspired by a special someone... (not saying who! :P) Hope you like it and hopefully, this'll be longer than the usual chapters. I'm trying to fit two scenes in one chapter, hope this plan of mine turns out right... XD. Happiness is overwhelming. Anyway, enough babble and here's chapter 3!**

**~*~ I do NOT own "Rise of the Guardians" "Brave" "Tangled" "How to Train Your Dragon"**

**~*~ Chapter 3 ~*~**

Rapunzel ran a hand on her golden hair. The enormous braid swayed as she walked past the now-dark corridors after the professors had dismissed the other students to sleep. Their talk with Professor Valencia had gone well, sort of. They _had _obtained quite valuable information. But now that she had learned about it, her head had been screaming for her to learn more.

"Oi, Punz! What'cha starin' thaere fer?" Merida called. She was standing in front of the painting that was supposed to be their door to the Common Room.

"_Caput Draconis"_ Hiccup said to the portrait. "You shouldn't be out here this time at night" the woman in the portrait said.

"We know. We got a little carried away in our chat with a professor" Jack said quickly, peering at Hiccup's watch. They'd been in Professor Val's office for almost an hour. It was 9:00 already. Emma yawned and her eyes were half-closed.

"Look at you" Jack bent down and picked her up, like he used to when she was just a little child. Emma nestled her head in the crook of Jack's neck and wrapped her hands firmly around his neck. Jack ducked slightly as he passed through the narrow corridor.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow" Hiccup chuckled as Toothless peeped out form his hood and rolled his eyes.

"G'nigh' Hic, Punz, Jack" Merida gave a curt nod and ran a hand on Emma's white hair. "Look at 'er, all knocked out" she chortled then turned on her heels and disappeared into the dormitories.

"Good night Jack. I'll see you tomorrow" Rapunzel gave him a warm smile and patted Emma's back. "I'll take her to her room" she offered. "Surely you don't want to go in the girls' dormitories, do you?" she laughed and took Emma gently, making sure not to wake her up.

"Night Punz. Sweet dreams" Jack nodded and watched Rapunzel disappear into the dorms. Then he turned on his heels and headed off to the dormitories.

The moon shone brightly by Jack's window. "Don't look at me like that" Jack snapped as Hiccup gave him a big toothy grin.

"Lover boy" Hiccup snickered before pulling the covers above his head. Jack rolled his eyes before settling his hood on his head and flopping himself on the window.

The cool breeze made his hair wave slightly. His crystal blue eyes scanned the area, looking for anything strange. For a moment, he thought he saw a shadow slip inside the school and was picking the gate's lock. He blinked twice and rubbed his eyes. The shadow was gone.

'I'm exhausted' Jack thought, slipping on his bed and settling his staff beside his bed and closing his eyes and drifting to sleep.

"I'm bettin' sum'in's comin' an' it's bad" Merida hissed during Transfiguration class. Hiccup passed her a note.

_Why is that?_

"'Cause, every'in tha's been 'appenin' 'ere, I dinnae raelly think it's ev'n pos'sble" Merida whispered. Hiccup scribbled away and passed it again to Merida.

_You mean about the Chamber of Secrets? Do you think that all that Val said, all of it was true?_

"Ah'm pretty *seure (*sure) i' is. She 'as a convin' sto'ory" Merida replied.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. With a sigh, her hand shot up in the air, catching the attention of Tooth who had just stopped speaking about their new spell, _vera verto._

"Yes Punzie?" Tooth asked, stopping abruptly before she decided to speak again.

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets" she said. A hush enveloped the room. Everyone stared at Rapunzel, their eyes wide and questioning.

"Dinnae't Val tell us ter not say aenythin' about yest'rday?" Merida hissed at the other girl.

"Shut it" Rapunzel snapped, lowering her hand. Tooth looked quite shocked at first then she jumped to attention.

"Oh, very well" she said, fluttering over to a shelf in a corner.

"As you know, Hogwarts was founded by the four greatest wizards of their time" Tooth flipped through the pages.

"That's the book you read out loud yesterday" Jack nudged Rapunzel gently by the shoulder.

"The little black book, you mean?" Rapunzel asked. Jack nodded.

"They are Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders had decided on one thing about the students. One did not"

"Lemme guess. That's Slytherin" Jack whispered sarcastically. Rapunzel giggled softly.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magic can only be attained by those pure of blood, those with magic families. In other words, purebloods" Rapunzel and Tooth said the last word in unison.

"It was told, that Slytherin built a secret chamber within the castle. Before he left, he sealed it. And when his true and rightful heir returned to Hogwarts', he may be the only one to open it and unleash the horror within and purge all those who, in Slythern's view, were unworthy to study magic" Tooth closed the book with a look of dread. Jack and the others looked at each other in question while the class buzzed in astonishment.

"Muggle-borns" Hiccup muttered. Tooth nodded.

"Professor, what exactly does the legend tell us, lies inside the chamber?" Rapunzel asked.

"Well, only one has seen it and lived to tell the tale. It was said to be a home of a monster" Tooth's purple eyes were dark and the peacock quill in her hand slipped and fell to the floor.

"I guess that means danger" Jack muttered, turning to his book and began to doodle furiously on the blank page at the back.

"A monster? Does that mean, if the chamber is indeed open again, the thing is roaming around, is the school safe anymore?" Rapunzel gasped softly.

Jack shrugged. "Normally, the staff is freaked out. I wonder what happens next" he conjured up a little snowflake from mid-air and made it circle his hand.

"If the school is in danger, will they send us back home?" Hiccup asked.

"No! I can't ge ho'ome now! Me mum's gonna chaenge me fate again!" Merida fell, face-first into her open book.

"We just have to wait. If anything happens, we just stick together" Jack made the snowflake fall on Rapunzel's braid. She smiled as it gleamed and sparkled in the sun's rays.

"I never knew Charms was easy" Emma told her brother at lunch.

"That's easy for you to say. It's actually harder in the next years" Jack said, looking up from his book that he and Emma were reading. The same hissing sound filled his ears.

_Kill. It's time to kill. I want blood._

Jack unknowingly, dropped his quill and the sharp end of the snowy owl's feather scratched Emma's right leg.

"Ow!" she winced, looking at the light scratch the quill made. Jack immediately apologized and looked around. From the corner of his eye, he saw someone pass by. More of a shadow, quietly creeping along the corridors.

"Did you hear that?" Jack asked his blue eyes frantic.

"I didn't hear anything" Emma whispered, pouring bottle of Murtlap Essence that Rapunzel gave her on the scratch.

"Jack, you're hearing things again. What did it say?" Rapunzel asked, her green eyes looking right through his.

"I-I don't know. It's sounded more like a hiss" Jack replied, rubbing the nape of his neck.

"But you never told us you were a Parselmouth" Hiccup muttered without looking up from his book.

"There are some things I don't let others know. It's my thing" Jack answered, glancing back at his Charms book.

"Jack, yer don' suppo'ose sum'n's gonna happ'n now, do ya?" Merida asked, scratching her head with the blunt tip of a phoenix's feather quill.

"All I know is I hear voices. They're whispering and I think it's going to kill" Jack stood, handing the book to Emma. "I gotta go" he grabbed his staff and disappeared in the corridor.

"I don't know about you but if something bad is going to happen, I'm not letting Jack go alone" Rapunzel swept her golden braid on one side and ran after Jack with Emma trailing behind her.

"Let's go Hic" Merida jerked her head to Jack's direction. Hiccup nodded and dashed to the others.

Jack hurried to the Common Room door. "_Caput Draconis" _he said, panting to catch his breath. The door swung open. Jack was supposed to head in when something stopped him.

Water splashed on his bare feet. He looked at the corridor on his right. Water was flowing from the stairs to his location and rolled out on the other side.

Rapunzel and Emma soon caught up, panting and Merida and Hiccup. "Does anyone feel something's a bit odd?" Rapunzel asked.

On the longer corridor on Jack's right, he could just make out a bloody letters: _Y-O-U-C-A-N-N-O-T_

Jack gasped and raced to it, the water splashing under his bare feet.

"Jack!" Rapunzel ran after him. Jack stopped short in front of a wall. Bloodied letters were scrawled clumsily on the wall.

_You cannot seal it away. It is going to strike. There is no place to hide._

"Told'ya there's sum'n bad goin' on" Merida muttered under her breath.

"We gotta tell the Headmaster!" Rapunzel picked up speed, running across the corridors. Jack was close behind then Merida, Hiccup and Emma.

Rapunzel suddenly stopped and gasped, taking steps back until she bumped into Jack.

"What's going on?" Jack asked until he saw what Rapunzel had seen.

There was a fifth year girl. She was lying in the water, her eyes bulged open, her mouth stuck in a horrified scream and her jet-black hair damp with water.

"Out of the way!" a familiar female voice cut sharply in the air. The five wheeled around to see Val and their Herbology professor, Neville Longbottom, hurrying their way.

"Val! What happened to her?" Rapunzel asked, fear etched on her face.

"Neville, go to the greenhouse and gather some mandrakes!" Val barked, throwing herself beside the black-haired girl.

"She's been petrified" Val muttered. "Boys, bring her to the hospital wing. Merida, Rapunzel, go and get the Headmaster. Come with me dearie" Val took Emma's hand. Slowly, Jack and Hiccup picked the girl up by the shoulders and feet. Rapunzel and Merida took off to find the Headmaster. Val drew her wand

"_Disillusionment"_ she waved it over the boys. "Go on. No one will see you. You have twenty minutes" she nodded and turned to Emma. "Let's go to my office" she smiled warmly and Emma nodded, a bit afraid to anger the professor.

"Did ya see tha'?" Merida panted as they splashed across the corridor. Rapunzel nodded.

"I hope she's alright! Didn't you see who it was?" she asked, her eyebrows-raised.

"I din't stop ta look at 'er face. I w's bit preoccupied with wha' state tha' lass was in!" Merida replied, water splashing on her shirt.

"She's Mavis Dracula! Ravenclaw! The count's daughter!" Rapunzel panted. "If the news gets to him, he _can_ close down Hogwarts as if the Ministry is just a few blocks away!" she cried.

"We have to keep the news low. If any student sees us, they'll ask then spread the word and it'll reach the count's ears before we can even say snow" Rapunzel bit her lip.

"A'righ' do ya kno'ow any spell tha' would make us invisible?" Merida asked, huffing.

"_Disillusionment"_ Rapunzel waved her wand. "Come on! Twenty minutes before the spell wears off naturally" she bolted to a golden eagle and chanted the password within puff of breaths.

"_Sherbert Lemon"_

"She did say we're invisible right?" Hiccup heaved the petrified girl up another flight of stairs. Jack shrugged.

"I just wonder why no one's allowed to see us" Hiccup mumbled.

"Probably so the students don't get to freak out. But we definitely have to hurry. DoDA is next with _Professor Pitch_" Jack spat the name of their least favorite professor with disgust.

"But how? Man, she's heavier that a baby Gronkle!" Jack took another step up the stairs.

"Can't we use any spell for this? She's bigger and heavier than a block of the school's pillars!" Hiccup puffed.

"Woah, don't look at me. You're the one that's good with spells" Jack smirked. Hiccup settled the body on the stairs and drew his wand.

"You're helping, right?" he eyed Jack with narrowed eyes.

"Sure. Give it a shot" Jack leaned on his staff. Hiccup drew a deep breath.

"_Windgardium Leviosa!"_ the body lifted up in the air. Jack positioned his staff and chanted the same spell.

"Come on. We got ten minutes before anyone sees us" Hiccup guided the body up another set of stairs. The Hospital Wing's not too far now...

"Professor, what happened to her?" Emma asked, walking hurriedly so she could keep up pace with the professor. Val turned round a corner and stopped in front of a wooden door.

"Emma, sweetie, are you up for a little extra homework?" Valencia asked, unlocking the heavy door. She ignored its squeaks of protest and pried it open.

Inside, cauldrons of every size shape and texture bubbled forth. Every corner, shelves stacked with different books and vials covered in dust.

"Professor, I don't understand" Emma stopped to take in every little detail of the room.

"Emma, I am giving you an assignment and no one must know" Valencia walked over to a mahogany shelf and pulled out a small yet very thick book. She dusted it off and handed it to Emma.

The corners were adorned with hissing snakes and the writings were jumbled. Letters were sprawled onto it randomly, not forming any word at all. Just a bunch on sprinkled letters. On the spines were locks. Emma raised an eyebrow and tried to pull it open. The book was locked. To the child's surprise, Val blew on the cover of the book. The letters slid and glided, slowly forming syllables then words then sentences. When the transformation was done, on the cover, it read:

_Speak the incantation and my secrets shall be revealed._

_Speak the snake's tongue and I will show what is concealed._

"Snake's tongue?" Emma asked, looking back up at Valencia. Her professor nodded. "Watch this" she drew a deep breath.

"_Parselmouth" _the locks began snapping themselves furiously. With _bangs, clicks, clacks _and_ snaps_, one of the metal snakes in the corner of the book began to slither to the last lock and it nudged it open. The book flung open, the yellowed parchment edges torn but the writings still readable.

"Woah!" Emma giggled at the magic of the book. "I love magic" she whispered.

"You like it now. But you mustn't let anyone see this book or open and read it. This is between us" Valencia gestured to a chair in front of her desk. Emma sat the book in her hands. Valencia circled her desk and finally sat.

"This is serious Emma. And I have seen no one, no one with a potential other than you and the other four" Valencia admitted.

"I will be placing you and the others on the board. You will act as my eyes and ears" Valencia pointed her finger at the book.

"You, will gather as much information as you can from Salazar Slytherin's past to the recent attacks and find out any patterns we might have over-looked" Valencia said.

"But why me? Punzie's best with spells. Jack's the best dueler. Merida's the best flyer and Hiccup's the best in magical creatures. Why me?" Emma asked. "I'm just Emma. Just Emma" she said.

"Okay, Just Emma. I know you can do this. You don't have to be afraid. Whatever happens, just believe in us. I have other plans for the other four and you are the only one left that I can turn to" Val assured her. Emma slowly nodded.

"Keep this a secret. Even from Jack" Valencia pressed a finger to her lips.

"But Professor, I don't lie to Jack. I can't" Emma protested.

"Just this once. Keep all this a secret and once this is over, you go back to normal life with him, okay?" Val placed a hand on Emma's head.

Emma thought for a moment and nodded slowly.

"Good girl. Now, why don't you get your Potions things. Our class with begin shortly" Valencia gave a curt nod and Emma stood, the book still gripped tightly in her hands.

"To close it, just whisper _Parseltongue_" Valencia called after her.

"_Parseltongue"_ Emma whispered. The book slammed shut, the locks clinking and banging and snapping and the metal snake returned to its proper place. Emma giggled and tucked the book safely in her robe.

"Hurry Hic! You'll never make it!" Jack called, racing across the corridors.

"Jack, hold up! I can't run that fast!" Hiccup yelled, his robes and brown hair flying behind him.

They both burst into the room where only a few students tended to participate. Quickly settling themselves on the chairs, Hiccup stopped to catch his breath.

"Where do you even learn to run like that? You're as quick as a Rusckabelle Rabbit!" Hiccup retorted.

Jack patted his chest. "It's in the blood" he smirked at Hiccup's expression. The door suddenly burst open and Merida and Rapunzel flew in the room.

"We made it!" Rapunzel said, settling on her seat beside Jack.

"I thought we'd naever" Merida sunk in her seat with a groan. "The Headmast'r wasn't thaere so I thought we'd gotta go back" Merida piped up.

"How's the girl?" Rapunzel asked Jack, falling face-first into her stack of books.

"Well the nurses looked pretty startled seeing her appear out of nowhere. I think we arrived just in time and we were still invisible to listen to the conversation" Jack smirked.

"Another disillusionment charm did the trick, actually. We heard everything" Hiccup grinned.

"So'o, what'd they say?" it was Merida's turn to ask.

_Flashback_

"_Oh no!" one of the nurses cried. "So it's true!" she looked closely at the girl._

"_And for this to happen to a count's daughter! The rumors will spread and then what?" another nurse asked._

"_The Ministry can close Hogwarts because of this. It's the the third time already!" an old lady spoke. _

"_That just means the school isn't safe anymore. The meddling of the heir has gone too far now" the first nurse said, looking as the girl with pity._

"_Did you even see the writings on the walls? Clearly the heir is up to no good again. And now that the heir has opened the chamber, that brute can go on killing muggle-borns under the Ministry's noses!" the second nurse said._

"_Well, good thing Professor Longbottom kept quite a lot of madrakes at his care and the only thing left is waiting for them to grow and mature then we'll be fine" the first nurse said._

"_The question is, how long is that? If it takes too long, the monster might've attacked half the school by then" the old woman said._

_*End of Flashback*_

"So it was true, all that Val had said!" Rapunzel hissed. The doors suddenly flung open and their DoDA professor came in; Professor Pitch Black. He came up beside Merida, his dark robes swishing across the marble tiles.

"Good day, Frost" he greeted with a tone that made Merida's skin crawl in fear.

"Stop your whispering. People might think you're..." he just noticed Jack's lopsided smirk.

"Up to something" he finished with a scowl.

"Seems you haven't noticed, _professor" _Jack snickered. Hiccup detected a hint of disgust and sarcasm. Clearly, these two hated each other since the first year. If something _had_ happened between them in the past, Jack never really talked about it.

"Oh I know about the attack, Frost" Pitch sneered, making sure only the four could hear. "Better watch those you care about most. They might _fall"_ he scoffed and drew out his black wand.

Hiccup cringed at their teacher's words. He never liked Professor Pitch. He commands the students to tell the truth but he's the type to keep everything personal to himself.

"Careful, you might fall!" Jack mimicked Pitch in a mocking tone. Merida chortled, Rapunzel giggled and Hiccup chuckled.

"I don't understand how you even manage to talk back to him like that" Rapunzel gave Jack a small smile.

"It's in the blood" Jack grinned but in his eyes were full of hate for their professor.

"I do'on't kno'ow if yer just too braeve or just a stupid fool" Merida said, scribbling clumsily on a piece of parchment.

"Well, either way, he could have saved us from trouble if we're caught by _that _professor" Hiccup murmured, dipping his falcon feather quill into his bottle of ink.

Strange, Emma had remained silent. She was at a far corner of the room, reading a book Jack couldn't remember she had. He would catch phrases like _venomous… vicious… spiders…_ but he couldn't quite catch all the sentences.

"What'cha reading?" Merida had stomped over to Emma's place when Jack had snapped out of his thoughts.

Emma jumped in surprise and quickly hid the book, slamming it shut.

"It's nothing. Just something I… found in the library" she said, nibbling her bottom lip. Merida raised her eyebrows.

"Yer sure?" she asked, looking around Emma. The little girl desperately clung to the book, hiding it in her robes.

"Excuse me, I have to go" she croaked and stuffed the book into her small bag. She pushed away from Merida, taking a couple of steps back.

"Em? Is everything okay?" Hiccup questioned.

"What's that?" Jack asked. Emma cringed. She had to lie and think of something quick.

"Yeah. This? Uh… it's just… a… uh… a Care of Magical Creatures handbook" she lied, gnawing the inner side of her cheek.

Jack thought for a moment then shrugged.

"I really have to go" Emma said. She took another couple of steps back and ran off.

"What's with her?" Hiccup asked, brows furrowed.

"I have no idea" Jack shrugged, his snowy owl feather quill gripped tightly in his pale hand.

"She sure acts a little strange" Rapunzel pursed her lips, slowly.

"Ah agree" Merida sat back beside Hiccup. "Surely she 'as sum'n up 'er sleeves" she said.

Emma breathed a sigh of relief and dashed to the Common Room. It's supposed to be secret, even from Jack. That was the hardest part. If he found out, she would be in big trouble and that's the last thing she ever wanted to happen.

_Let's just hope this ends quick and no one gets hurt for real_, she thought to herself, stepping in front of the portrait that would lead her to the one place quiet and private enough other than Val's office…


End file.
